I become a photographer because I loved photographing people and the relationship between them.  I loved seeing their eyes light up when they looked at each other.  I loved seeing their bodies relax into each other as they wrapped their arms one another.

I love observing love and being around love.

From the first moment I walk into a family’s home, I know I see differently.  As with my own life, the place we call home becomes familiar in a way that feels boring sometimes.  We start to focus to much on the mess and the chaos of LIFE.  We start to wonder if our mess defines how we’re doing as a parent.  As a human.

We start to wonder why it seems everyone else has it together but we don’t.

We want to have the pretty pictures on instagram of smiling faces and well-behaved kids.  Because maybe that shows that we’re doing ok.

From the moment our babies are born we take on the responsibility to raise them well and make sure they make good decisions and don’t find to much trouble and understand how the world works, and treat people with kindness.  We take on the world for them.

We do it out of love.

We want nothing but the absolute best for them.  We take on that responsibility as a coat of armor ready to go to battle for our kids.

As they grow our weight becomes heavier still.  Our obligations grow.  Our time is spread thin.  Our hearts get heavy with the responsibility of it all.

Then as if someone has removed our armor…our sweet child smiles.  or laughs.  or throws their arms around our neck and says, ‘I want a hug mommy!’

Then all the weight of responsibility melts away.  Our hearts are restored and renewed to continue on the journey of raising theses sweet little ones.

When I photograph that is the space, the energy I’m seeking.  And it never fails in finding me.  It is there with every family.

It’s there in the midst of messy chaos & over worked stressed parents.

It’s there in the cracks of kids pushing boundaries like kids do.

It’s there when we can’t bare to face another day.

It is a weightless joy that comes from deep within.

Every family has that feeling of weightless joy.  The kind of joy where everything else in the world disappears and all that’s left is us & love.

As a mother, it’s especially beautiful to watch a mother and her children.  The way she tends to their needs.  The way she hugs them.  Even the way you can tell the weight of it all is pressing down, all it takes, is a little shift towards what matters most to her and the weight lifts.

We are our children just as much as they are us.  We couldn’t parent without the weight of it all, and yet we can’t parent without the LOVE that we have for them either.

Before every session I mediate and come to my own heart center.  I have to be in that space so that they can be in the space too.  My heart opens so they can feel safe to let the world go and focus on what truly matters.  LOVE and FAMILY.

This is what I want to give this Mother’s Day.  A session where you are focused on what truly matters.  A session where the weight of the world can be cast aside even if for just a couple hours.  Those couple of hours mean the WORLD.

A two hour session for your family to be together, laugh, play, love as much as your hearts need.

For a limited time (till April 30th) you can do a session for $399.  It includes an 8×11 hardcover album of all your pictures from our session plus quotes about life and love by you.  {Typically a session and album costs $700}. It is my gift to you for Mother’s Day.  A gift of your love to your children.  A gift of how you see them as perfect and everything you ever dreamed about.

Email me at rachael@rachaelgracephotography.com to book a session before April 30th, 2018.

I’m eagerly awaiting to photograph your home filled with love and joy just they way you know it is.

xoxo – Rachael